Background: At a semiotic level
there is disparity in the portrayal of men and
women in popular advertising. When men and women
appear in ads together, the women are often
depicted as weaker than the male, either through
composition of the ad or particular situations in
the scene. When females appear in ads alone we
again note the stereotype of the female as
sexual, unintelligent and fragile. Males,
conversely, appear as strong and cultured.
Particular roles and gender constructs are also
evident in male ads. Males are told to act tough,
hide their emotions, and compete at all costs
(Thompson 1993:146-7). Nancy Chodorow argues that
the attainment of masculinity is a problematic
issue for boys (1974:51), particularly as boys
are taught to differentiate themselves from
others.

Focus on the Ads: A number of the initial ads on
the page present stereotypical images of
masculinity. Image 37 is interesting for its
notion of the inculcation of specific consumer
values (related to the male love for automobiles)
in young boys.